Quirk warns of funds losses

She told the assembly cuts to education assistants would cause additional stress on teachers and staff in her schools.

‘One principal said to me that these education assistants enhance the ability of the school to communicate with parents and bolster relationships between the student, the family and the school, which is incredibly important,’ Ms Quirk said. She said some schools, categorised as having a higher social disadvantage, still had funding significantly reduced.

‘When literacy and numeracy funding and access to services that enhance a child’s ability to learn are taken away, one finds the assurances of the government less than reassuring.’

Ms Quirk released figures that claimed Girrawheen electorate schools could lose more than $2 million in funding. She said the Opposition estimated the average primary student would lose $305 in funding and secondary students $457.50.

‘Based on the number of students enrolled in Girrawheen schools, they stand to lose a staggering $2.3 million in funding,’ she said.

Landsdale Primary School topped the list at $463,885, followed by Ashdale Secondary College at $432,337.

An Education Department spokeswoman said they could not confirm the Girrawheen figures and it was too early to determine exactly what changes would affect individual schools.

The department said education spending had increased from $2.8 billion in 2007-08 to $4.4 billion in 2013-14.

The spokeswoman said secondary schools had fewer students per teacher than any other state and teacher levels would be be maintained in 2014, with variations on a school-by-school basis.

She said every child who genuinely needed education assistant support would receive it.